Congress has used clarification notices to delay the Obama administration’s plan to sell eight new Lockheed Martin-built F-16 aircraft to Pakistan, Dawn reported Tuesday.
Anwar Iqbal writes the Senate also moved to stall the sale of the fighter jets to Pakistan through a legislative “hold” notice sent to the White House.
Lawmakers raised concerns about the purpose of such fighter jets that Pakistan intends to procure from the U.S., Iqbal reports.
“I don’t know how an F-16, with all of its hardware on there for combat, can be used for humanitarian aid,” Rep. Ted Poe (R-Texas) said at a congressional hearing.
“Those F-16s and the military equipment that we are providing Pakistan are being used against their own people, just like they did against the people over there in Bangladesh,” said Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Calif.).